Who: Tarnya & Duane

When: September 2011

Where: Italian Gardens and Gutherie Pavilion at Hever Castle

The proposal

“It was worth the wait – but after six years, Duane proposed to me on my birthday,” remembers Tarnya. “He’d taken me to Cafe Rouge for a meal and also said I could go ‘semi-crazy’ in Cath Kidston and choose some presents. I was having a lovely time, and didn’t suspect a thing. When we got home I was just cosying up on the sofa in my PJs when in comes Duane asking if I wanted another present. With a big smile on his face, he popped down on one knee in front of me, and asked me to marry him. I checked the ring was to my satisfaction first before giving an answer!” laughs Tarnya. “Of course I said yes. The engagement was just the icing on my erm, finger!”

The bride’s outfit

“My dream dress was a Stephanie Allin creation, which I bought from her London boutique,” remembers Tarnya. “The gown was ivory, in a figure-hugging fishtail design, made of a fine zibeline fabric with an oh-so-cute bow detail around the waist. I kept mine strapless with lots of tulle underneath to give the skirt real oomph! I also tried on lots of veils, but with an outdoor ceremony, I kept imagining mine blowing around my face – or into the lake! So I went for a retro birdcage design instead.”

The groom’s outfit

Duane and his best boys all looked super suave in their grey suits, hired from Moss Bros in Lakeside. To stand out, Duane and his best man Kam, wore polka-dot handkerchiefs in their top pockets, bought from TM Lewin – in the sale!

The bridesmaids

“I knew I would only give my girls dresses that they’d wear again,” explains Tarnya. “I searched for ages and found the perfect dresses on coast-stores.com. The dress was called ‘Birdsong’ and was a prom-style cotton dress with a puff-ball hem. It was pale-blue with tiny white polka-dots, finished with a satin ribbon and a detachable flower brooch.”

The ceremony

Took place under the Loggia, overlooking the lake in Hever Castle’s Italian Gardens. “We decided to make the service as personal as possible, so only picked readings that meant something to us. The first was an extract from Shakespeare’s Let Me Not, the second was The Art of A Good Marriage.”

The reception

“I decorated the tables with two-tier cake stands that were full of silicone cake cases, which my florist filled with real flower heads, to look like cupcakes,” says Tarnya. The couple also had a sweetie table, candles and votives , bunting and an ice cream sign from Giddy Kipper

The honeymoon

Was an initial mini-moon to Center Parcs with a Florida trip planned for later this year

Alice is a keen cyclist and also absolutely loves vintage clothes. She doesn't wear them while cycling though, that would be silly. The owner of two Guinea Pigs called Ronnie and Reggie, she's also a twin herself!

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